More Branson Comments

"I have a friend flying to my home in Wichita from Phoenix for Christmas. We are going to Branson after Christmas to spend time in my second home there. She is flying home and leaving from Springfield. The ticket costs $170.00 one way from Phoenix to Wichita and $765.00 one way to return from Springfield to Phoenix. I have read that Springfield is planning to build a 150 million terminal and Branson has built an entire airport for 150 million...."

Marc, your friend could fly from Phoenix to Springfield for a base fare of $129. I just looked it up on the Allegiant Air web site. That's leaving on the 24th from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and departing Springfield on the 31st.

As for the cost of the terminal, the total of cost of our new terminal project is $117 million — not $150 million. While I understand your logic in attempting to tie the cost of the project to the price of tickets, it is based on faulty assumptions. The existence of $129 roundtrip fare from Springfield to Phoenix proves my point.